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Blog użytkownika:Tydeus 2000/TKF
Poland (1933) Tankette - 18-22 built To improve the TK-3 During 1931-1934 years TK-3 tankette was main Polish tank. This small vehicle evolved from TK-2 prototype and was derivatived from British Carden-Loyd Mark VI. Tankettes were small and fast vehicles, but low armor and armament (one 7,92mm wz.25 machine gun) constricted it. The only way to improve them was reinforcing their main advanteges. Polish designers built a few new tanks trying to improve''' TK-3''' - this tanks were TKW,' TKD',' TKS' and TKF. A TKF was the simplest of TK-3 modifications - and as the result TKF is confounded with TK-3 very often. One of the things to upgrade was engine of main Polish tankette - american engine Ford A might have been replaced by engine better in performance and easier to import. The designers choosed as new engine the Fiat 122 AC - this originally Italian engine was in license in Poland. A prototype of new tankette - named TKF (F from first letter of engine's name; this name was abbreviation of "TK-with-Fiat") was ready in 1931 (or, by other sources, in 1931). It was actualy normal TK-3 (produce number: 1221) with new engine. In 1933 succeeding TK-3s were converted. The number of all''' TKFs''' is unknown, but it's mentioned as from 18 to 22 tankettes in total. This number is including in number of all TK-3 tankettes. The success of Fiat engine in TKF impacted to placing it in TKS tankette. In 1935, when new tankette - TKS - was in produce, the designers rebuilt TKF chassis, by making it identical as in TKS. It was the only one external difference between TK-3 and TKF. The trial was successive, and the plan to convert all Polish TK-3 into TKF variant was created. However, similary to later prototype of TKS-B, the project of tankette's upgrade was rejected as too expensive in perform and unprofitable (as the tankettes were low in battle anyway). Improvements The first upgrade of TKF was new engine.The Fiat 122 AC had 42 horsepower - in comparison to 40 of Ford A. It allowed TKF to achieve a little better maximal speed: 46 km/h - for comparison, TK-3 had 40km/h maximal speed (this numbers are unsure, it cannot be verified). Moreover, the new engine was smaller then old. In 1935 TKFs got the onle visible modification: their chassis were assimilated with TKS. The idler wheel (on back of chassis) got new, stronger suspension (more circular in shapes). The wheels had not rubbered brinks (as in early tankettes). The propel wheel (in front of chassis) had improved brinks (it is not standard of TK-3, but in TKF it is). The other parts of chassis was strengthen. Another thing are improved tracks, the strengthen and a little broader. It corrected the traction of tankette. Moreover, the designers exchanged succeeding parts: a gearbox, brakes, steering wheel, gas levers, clutches, radiator, fan, hand-boot mechanism and alectric installation (from 6 to 12 V). TKF in action The one sure Polish unit which was using TKFs was 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade (created in 1921). According some sources, not all TKFs have been used in this unit, and single tankettes were in other units. In September 1939 this unit was using also regular tankettes (TK-3 and TKS) and were fighting with German army in battle near Jordanów, during march to Lwów (Lviv) and in defence of this city. After 17th September, when Soviet army attacked from east, Brigade got orders to go on west-south and cross the Hungarian frontier. In 22th September the unit arrived to Hungary, and gave Hungarian army their equipment - inclusive 9 survived tankettes TK-3 and''' TKF''' (exact number of TKFs is unknown, as they are erroneously equated with TK-3). Some TKFs could be also captured and used by German and Soviet armies. Later fate of this tankettes is unknown well. The Hungarian army used Polish tankettes outside the front, and later gave them to Croatian army. After this Croats used this tankettes against communistic Yugoslavian partisans. In march of 1944 one TKF was captured by Yugoslavian soldiers and after war landed in Military Museum at Belgrade. This tankette was the only one TKF which survived the war. TKF specifications: *Dimensions: 2.58 x 1.78 x 1.32 m (8.46×5.84×4.33 ft) *Total weight, battle ready: 2,4 tons *Crew: 2 (Commander/gunner, driver) *Propulsion: Polish Fiat 122AC/B 6 cyl, 42/46 hp *Speed: 46 km/h (29 mph) *Range (road/off road)/consumption: 200-100 km (124-62 mi) -60 l/100 km *Armament: Wz.25 7.92 mm (0.3 in) machine-gun *Armor: 3-8 mm *Ammunition: 1800 rounds *Total production: 18-22 Kategoria:Wpisy na blogach